Area around Kivenlahti Metro Centre to be pedestrianised

Kivenlahti is a seaside suburb located in western Espoo with about 10,000 inhabitants, expected to grow to 25,000 by 2050.

Kivenlahti has a boat harbour, library, shops, restaurants and two schools. Kivenlahti developments are served by good public-transport facilities (including metro by 2020). Interstate road runs through the area. Ferry connections to nearby islands are operated during summer for recreational activities.

Kivenlahti will become one of the main westbound travel hubs. For investors it is a fine place to locate commercial and business activities. There are also excellent opportunities for residential and business development in Kivenlahti in coming years.

At the moment, Kivenlahti’s biggest employers are VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Fortum and development for science-business-education campus is gaining speed taking advance for easy-to-reach location.

Contact:

Project Director Kimmo Leivo, kimmo.leivo@espoo.fi, +358 50 340 9723

Kivenlahti development

Development in Kivenlahti will be directed to new areas still preserving the unique nature of old town centre. The metro station and nearby commercial centre and residential condos will be constructed in coming years. The total development volume of Kivenlahti area will be over 500,000 sqm.

Most important development projects

Kivenlahti metro centre and residential area

Phase one of Kivenlahti development metro centre includes the construction of the Metro station and bus terminal, modern shopping centre, offices, underground multi-storey car park and nearby residential area. The construction project of 150,000 sqm will start in 2017. This project is a public‒private partnership with SRV-Group Plc.

North Field development

Strategic location is to be developed for business operating in circular economy. The project area is currently under zoning preparation.

The state-owned, world-famous VTT Technical research centre of Finland already has its main circular economy operations in the area. 70 ha of old industrial and logistics area will be turned to a global centre for circular economy R&D and business supported by technical schools and institutes. There will also be a residential development project of 400,000 sqm in the North Field area.

Success story: VTT’s Bioruukki pilot centre built in Kivenlahti

“A former printing plant at Kiviruukki industrial area in Kivenlahti is under transformation into a pilot centre called Bioruukki. Bioruukki pilot centre is one of VTT's most significant investments this decade. Bioruukki offers extensive possibilities for demonstrating how bio-based or recycled raw materials can be converted into various products, such as fuels, chemicals or materials. With the gradually expanding Bioruukki centre, VTT continues to invest in its ability to help companies to accelerate the commercialisation of their new bio- and circular economy innovations.

In the first phase, gasification and pyrolysis equipment were installed and research activities were initiated. The start-up and first production runs of the thermochemical pilots for gasification and pyrolysis were successfully performed in autumn 2015.

Facilities to develop solar energy storage concepts will be installed in 2016, and in spring 2017 the construction of biomass processing centre into existing building is estimated to be ready. By the year 2018 Bioruukki forms a unique synergistic platform when the new pilot halls for the Green chemistry centre are in operation. Pilot facilities of our cooperating partners will form part of the innovation ecosystem.”